Build Or Buy?

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I have an old snow plow and want to put it on my truck this year. Should I buy the mount for it priced at $650 with all the lights, pump and wires or build it? I already have the old motor and pump from the other plow system.
Reply:It will depend on your skill level and equipment for starters.  How long will it take to build, wire and fit?  How much will materials cost? How long will it take you to do it?  When do you need it to be completed? These are just a coupe of questions you have to answer before an accurate answer can be given.
Reply:The pump and plumbing is the expensive part of the system.  If you're stuff's still good, cheaper to build it it you also have the spring thingys for the trip mechanism.In other words, if all you have to do is fabricate up mounts, frame, hinges etc.  You can do it.  Take a bit of time, and looking at ones already in use, but doable I think"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Your time is money. If your time is worth $25 an hour, then that take the amount of parts off the $650 and then divide that by 25. This will give you a number of hours you can work to break even. If you don't think you can do it in that amount of time, then your better off buying it. Adjust by whatever you think your labor is worth. If you do contract welding, then use that same labor rate for your project. The time you spend on this is time you could be spending on a paying job, so it's in a sense costing you the money.Buying also comes with a warranty, which if you build it, your the warranty.Miller:Millermatic 252Dialarc 250Thunderbolt 225Syncrowave 180 SDSuper S-32PSCP-200CHF-15-1225D Plus225G PlusBig D2Lincoln:Arc Welder SA-200Victor:315FC setup with fullsize bottlesJ-28  setup as portable
Reply:Depends on the truck. The hard part is the mount to the frame. On some trucks it's not too bad. Others are a PITA. Is this for a permanent mount or a removable one like the newer factory mounts? The head gear to mount the pump is relatively easy, especially Meyers type. The whole removable headgear/ frame mount on my Fisher is quite a bit more complex.I've built the Meyers head gear from scratch. It's easy if you have a model to work from. Buddy moved his old Meyers to his new truck. Bought the frame kit new to fit the truck, then I built the headgear to match that on his second plow.Thats probably what I'll end up doing on my new truck. I'll just buy the frame mount to fit the '08 and move the existing 9' Fisher to the new truck. Then keep my eyes out  for a good used blade from the junk yard. I'll just fab a set of permanent headgear to fit the existing frame mount on the old truck and use the pump and electric parts off my old Meyers. I don't have to worry about F'ing up the truck, since the head gear just has to lift the blade, and not take the force of the blade..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by MudHogYour time is money. If your time is worth $25 an hour, then that take the amount of parts off the $650 and then divide that by 25. This will give you a number of hours you can work to break even. If you don't think you can do it in that amount of time, then your better off buying it. Adjust by whatever you think your labor is worth. If you do contract welding, then use that same labor rate for your project. The time you spend on this is time you could be spending on a paying job, so it's in a sense costing you the money.Buying also comes with a warranty, which if you build it, your the warranty.
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusIf you're building something for yourself and don't figure on selling it, I don't see putting a price on your labor. Even if you sell it later down the road and it's given you enough service to match the labor you put in it then you're still ahead in my book.                                JMHO,                                          Mike
Reply:If you got the time, materials and skills you might as well do it your self. Unless your day is so packed that you dont have time to do anything for yourself, dont worry about factoring in the cost per hour of you building the mount. Most people have at least some free time to screw around with and in all honesty I would rather build it myself and have to bill myself for my time used, than pay someone else to do the same thing.Miller Dynasty 300dxSpeedglas 9002XMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeLincoln PowerMig 255xtLincoln PowerMig 140cMilwuakee Portaband
Reply:I can honestly see both sides of the build it yourself issue.  I really canRecently had to modify the hitch on a factory built bed, and it cost me a lot of time better spent doing something else, but I still had to do it to make the truck useable.I'm a real fan of building accessories from the truck out.  Make it fit the truck, then work your way out.  You'll never be sorry if you do it this way.Another paramount consideration is the materials.  If you're not a factory trying to boost profit, you have the luxury of using heavier materials without breaking the budget.And most importantly.........you get exactly what you want, and make the system work around flaws in the truck design or plow design.And, to be fair, my whole argument goes down the crapper if your time is better spent doing something else that brings in the bacon.  I don't just put up crap, I do listen to other folks, and they have some valid points too.  Design, and build, time can be pretty lengthy.  I MEAN REALLY LENGTHY"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Time does not really matter to me(it will only be done once) And a far as a warranty, I dont see meyer coming out in the middle of my snow storm to replace anything. When it breaks in the middle of a storm I have to fix it anyway. I think I will take DSW advice and buy the frame mount that bolts on my dodge and just build the head gear etc. Thanks for all the advice on here. It does help to see through other peoples eyes.
Reply:I have installed at least 350 snow plows in the last 5 years.  Installed them on everything from a Ford Ranger to a Mack dump truck.  Repaired more than I want to even count.  So listen to this advice.  Sell your old plow.  Go find yourself a used western or fisher plow.  Or buy a new one.  Meyers are nothing but a headace.  Trust me.  But If you really want to make your meyers work.  Spend the money and buy the parts from meyer.  The bottom frame mount will be around $650.  The upper tube is about $300.  The Meyer nightsabers will be around $250.  Wiring for the plow will be around $200, Controller $150.   Trying to build a mount from scratch is a very long and painful process. Even with the number of ones I have built from scratch, its still is an all day even.  And since you have a dodge you might as well shoot yourself in the head if you want to try to build one.  Dodges are the hardest trucks to work on when installing factory plows mounts no matter what the brand.  Typically I am another $200 extra on installs if its a dodge truck.  As for the upper tube mounts.  Of all the home made ones I have seen, they all end up cracking.  What most people do not realize is how much weight is hanging off the front of your truck.  Everytime you hit a bump the plow flys up and slams back down on the chain.  Yanking the crap out of the head gear till it cracks.   I also will bet your pump probably if its been sitting for a while will need at least one coil, one valve and a motor.  The plow itself will probably need hoses and the pivot pins are rusted in place.  One trip of the plow and those pins will snap.   Behold the power of a rose bud, air chisel, and a die grinder to get them out.  Along with lots of colorful language. You name it, I have seen it when it comes to snow plows.  Don't take my advice to personally.  Just trying to save your the agravation.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:After seeing the welds on all the factory crap I have no doubt my plow mount will be more sturdy and ridgid than anything than can sell me. Pictures to follow. Thanks
Reply:No pressure, but we'll be waiting.Miller Dynasty 300dxSpeedglas 9002XMiller Spectrum 375 XtremeLincoln PowerMig 255xtLincoln PowerMig 140cMilwuakee Portaband
Reply:I think Sid got it.  When it comes to your own stuff, your time is only worth something if you have other stuff to do.  I personally enjoy working on my own stuff just because I'm able.  I start out my day on my own stuff, and if a job comes in then I drop what I'm doing and go earn some money. If there isn't any jobs needing done, you just as well work on something of your own.  Keeps your skills sharp so when a paying job shows up, you can complete it as efficiently (and profitable) as possible.My name's not Jim....